The present invention is related to an improved device for treating wounds, ulcers and burns in humans, as well as to a method of treating human disease conditions associated with the skin, immune system disorders, burns, thrombotic diseases, disorders of blood platelets, diabetes and peripheral vascular diseases. The invention also pertains to provide a safe ozone treatment device for administering ozone treatments to both animate and inanimate objects in an efficient and safe manner to one or more subjects simultaneously with a device.
Ozone is used for sterilizing both inanimate objects including, but not limited to, water supplies, food products, surgical supplies and the like, as well as animates objects such as body parts of animals and humans for the promotion of healing. The therapeutic benefits of using ozone gas (O3) or a solution thereof have been previously disclosed. These treatments rely on the oxidative characteristic of ozone which acts as a bactericide, antiviral, fungicide or germicide to destroy a wide variety of deleterious organisms. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,407 issued to Mueller et al., discloses an ozone device used to treat the human body with ozone at its orifices, for example, for nasal, ear and other orifice infections. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,382 issued to Wainwright, discloses an ozone apparatus used to purify water, milk, biologically active fluid or wine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,415 issued to Levin, discloses a device for using an aqueous solution containing ozone to treat foot diseases. These devices are very limited in scope due to the fact that the treatment area is small and well defined, precluding the use of the device to affect larger body parts and/or surfaces, or for checking against ozone leakage into the atmosphere as a health hazard.
Moreover, ozone is a dangerous material and can raise a serious health hazard if not handled properly. A quantity of as little as 0.01 parts per million (ppm) of ozone in the atmosphere can be se by human beings, and a concentration of greater than 0.1 ppm is regarded as being extremely dangerous. Since ozone treatment frequently involves concentrations as high as 50,000 ppm, the consequence of even the smallest leak of ozone to the atmosphere, would be serious for anyone exposed.
Accordingly, a need exists for devices and methods for applying ozone to treat various diseases using hermetically sealed treatment chambers which would prevent or minimize the likelihood of ozone leakage to the surrounding.
Diseases and conditions which may be controlled or eradicated by having the affected part exposed to ozone include, but are not limited to diabetic lesions on the feet, fingal infections of the skin, toenails, toenail roots, athlete""s foot, trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, radiation wounds, pressure sores, decubitis, ulcers, sores, wounds, skin infections, Epidermphyton floccosum, burns, thrombotic diseases, disorders of blood platelet aggregation, disorders of the immune system, psoriasis, acne, eczema or peripheral vascular diseases.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide devices for ozone treatment that substantially reduce the problems associated with ozone gas leakage and thus reduce any health hazard or risk with uncontrolled ozone exposure. Another object of the invention is to provide a device for ozone treatment to both animate and inanimate objects, and to more than one subject at any time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for treating an object, such method comprising introducing the object and ozone into a hermetically sealed treatment chamber to prevent ozone from leaking from the treatment chamber into the atmosphere or surrounding and to provide an indication of the seal, by a sealing means, during the course of the ozone treatment.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method of applying ozone to an object, the steps of which include introducing the object and a fluid mixture of ozone into the treatment chamber, treating the object in the treatment chamber in a static mode operation under conditions in which there is no flow of ozone into or out of the treatment chamber. During this static mode operation, tests are performed at specific testing periods wherein, for each test, an outflow from the chamber is produced. This outflow is tested for any drop in ozone content and further ozone is introduced into the chamber to maintain the level of ozone content therein.
It is another object of the present invention to introduce more than one object into the treatment chamber with ozone, maintain the static mode operation and provide an effective amount of ozone treatment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for ozone treatment using a device comprising one or more sealed treatment chambers for receiving the objects. Each treatment chamber includes an inlet for introducing an ozone-oxygen mixture into the chamber, and an outlet for removing the ozone mixture therefrom. The device further includes a supply of oxygen-oxygen mixture connected to the inlet of the treatment chamber. A suction pump is connected to the outlet of the treatment chamber to produce a subatmospheric pressure or negative pressure in the chamber. Included also are the following: a distribution means for delivering the ozone-oxygen mixture to each treatment chamber, a control system for controlling the ozone-oxygen supply, a suction pump and a distribution means. The distribution means provides a check of the sealing of the chambers to ensure that no ozone leakage to the atmosphere occurs and to produce a static mode operation. During the static mode operation there is no ozone-oxygen flow into or out of the treatment chamber except during specific testing periods during which a flow with low negative pressure, lower than atmospheric pressure, is produced through the treatment chamber.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device for treating an object or objects with ozone, the device comprising one or more air impermeable housing of a hollow construction to define treatment chambers each with an opening, each housing further comprising a sealing means including a flexible air-impermeable sleeve having a first end lining the opening and the opposite end extending externally to the treatment chamber and a clamping ring clamping the first end of the sleeve to the housing.
The present invention is directed to a method for wound healing which involves treatment with ozone, in animals and human beings in different conditions including, but not limited to diabetic lesions, skin disorders, bums, immune system disorders, thrombotic diseases, disorders of blood platelet aggregation, peripheral vascular diseases, fungal infections, toenail roots, athlete""s foot, radiation wounds, pressure sores, ulcers, sores, psoriasis, acne, eczema or decubitis. Accordingly, an effective amount of ozone is administered in a hermetically sealed treatment chamber to an animal or individual in need thereof.
The present invention is also directed to a method of enhancing the immune system using ozone treatment.
The present invention is also directed towards inhibiting platelet aggregation with ozone treatment, thereby providing an alternate antiplatelet therapy.
The present invention is also directed towards treatment of various human diseases with ozone treatment through the oxidative action of ozone which acts as a bactericide, antiviral, fungicide or germicide to destroy a wide variety of deleterious organisms.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification and working examples described herein.